Mashed Potato Waffles

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Peel and wash potatoes. Cut into small, even pieces and put them in large pot of cold, well-salted water; bring to boil. Lower heat and cook until you can pierce potatoes easily with fork. Drain and reserve about half a cup of potato water. Transfer potatoes to large mixing bowl.

2. Step 2

   Heat olive oil in small skillet over low heat and saute the chopped onion just until it softens a bit. Pour the oil and onions over the potatoes, then add the milk to the still-warm skillet -- just to take the chill off it. Pour the milk over the potatoes.

3. Step 3

   Mash potatoes with oil and milk. Add a fourth cup of warm potato water, reserving the rest, and continue to mash until the mixture is smooth and looser than mashed potatoes you'd serve as a side dish. If it seems stiff, add more potato water, little by little, until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and season liberally with salt and pepper.

4. Step 4

   Preheat your waffle iron. If you want to hold the finished waffles until serving time, preheat your oven to 200 degrees.

5. Step 5

   Finish the batter by beating the eggs into the potatoes. Whisk together the flour and baking powder and fold them into the potatoes with a rubber spatula.

6. Step 6

   Lightly butter or spray the grids of your waffle iron, if needed. Brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick.

7. Step 7

   Spoon out a half cup of batter (or the amount recommended by your waffle iron's manufacturer) onto the hot iron. Smooth the batter evenly almost to the edge of the grids with a metal spatula or wooden spoon. Close the lid and bake until brown and crisp. Serve the waffles immediately or keep them, in a single layer, on the rack in the oven while you make the rest of the batch. Top with basil or rosemary olive oil or butter.